The Town of Aurora has a population of approximately 42,000 people. This is one of the fastest growing municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area. Aurora boasts an ultramodern Town Hall situated at 100 John West Way, one block north of Wellington Street East, between Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue.

Aurora has one of the highest income levels per household in Canada. Aurora is home to over 100 major industries and head offices including: Quebecor Printing, Reebok Canada, and Hallmark cards. The prestigious St. Andrew’s College private school is also located in Aurora.

Aurora’s most distinguishing feature is its picturesque rolling hills and woodlots which are shaped by the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Oak Ridges Moraine has been identified as one of the most significant acquifers in Canada. It is the headwaters for 65 rivers and streams that flow south into Lake Ontario, and north to Lake Simcoe.

Aurora’s history dates back to 1796, when it was a small crossroads community known as Machell’s Corners situated at the intersection of Yonge and Wellington Streets. This hamlet was named after merchant Richard Machell, who was one of Aurora’s first settlers. The town’s name was officially changed to Aurora in 1853, when the railway began service to this area ushering in the “dawn of a new age”. The railway brought great commerce and prosperity to Aurora which had earned village status by 1863, and then graduated to town status in 1888.

You can learn much more about the history of Aurora at the Aurora Museum. This museum is situated in the former Aurora Public School building located at 22 Church Street. This stately Victorian building is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Former Canadian Prime Minister, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Lester B. Pearson attended school here.

Homes

Downtown Aurora, centred at Yonge and Wellington Streets, features an outstanding selection of heritage homes encompassing a wide variety of architectural styles including: Victorian, Edwardian, Regency Style, Itallianate, Greek Revival, Georgian, Colonial, and Tudor architecture. On the edges of the downtown you will find ranch-style bungalows, split-level homes, and two-storey detached homes built mostly in the 1950s and 1960s.

Aurora is well known for its new home subdivisions. The new housing in the downtown core has a higher density, and features a large selection of semi-detached houses and townhomes. On the outskirts of town, set amidst a pastoral landscape dotted with golf courses, you will find numerous executive style subdivisions with larger detached homes, on generous size lots.

One Bedroom condominum

$160,000 - $200,000+

Two Bedroom Condominum

$270,000 - $400,000

Freehold Townhous

$180,000 - $700,000+

Semi-Detached House

$200,000 - $400,000+

Deatched Bungalow or Split-Level

$200,000 - $750,000+

Detached 2-Storey

$230,000 - $1,000,000+

Shopping

Downtown Aurora centred at Wellington and Yonge Streets is lined with charming 19th century buildings. This pedestrian friendly shopping district includes a good mix of retail shops, services and restaurants. Many professional offices are also situated here.

Aurora contains a plethora of modern shopping plazas up and down the busy Yonge Street corridor. In particular the gentrified shops at the St. Andrews shopping centre located at Yonge Street and Orchard Heights are worth a visit. Aurora’s largest indoor shopping mall is the Aurora Centre located on Bayview Avenue, north of Wellington Street. This shopping centre is anchored by Zellers and Sobey’s.

Recereation

Aurora has over 45 parks that encompass almost 500 acres. The largest of these parks is Sheppard’s Bush a 50 acre nature preserve operated by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Many of Aurora’s parks are linked by a trail system that is enjoyed by cyclists, walkers, joggers, hikers, and cross-country skiers. The Aurora Community Centre at 1 Community Centre Lane includes a 1600 seat arena that is home to the provincial Jr. “A” Aurora Tigers ice hockey team. The Aurora Leisure Complex located at 135 Industrial Parkway is a multi-purpose facility that includes an ice arena, fitness equipment, squash courts, meeting rooms, and an indoor leisure pool. Aurora also boasts 4 golf clubs, 9 tennis courts, 23 baseball fields and 36 Soccer fields.

York Region Transit provides excellent coverage throughout Aurora, including direct links to major shopping centres and community facilities. Go Transit bus service along Yonge Street connects passengers to the Finch subway station on the Toronto Transit line. The historic Aurora Go Train station located at Yonge and Wellington Streets offers three daily commuter trains to downtown Toronto’s Union Station. This train ride takes approximately one hour.

Highway 404, which runs along Aurora’s eastern border, merges into the Don Valley Parkway that feeds right into downtown Toronto. Total travel time is approximately one hour. Yonge Street and Bathurst Street, provide alternative scenic routes into the City of Toronto.